Under the Table
by travellerslover
Summary: Something is lurking beneath the surface, something sinister. A closed cased must be opened, and as far as she's concerned... everyone is a suspect. With the help of the Chief Inspector on her side, Sakura is certain that she can uncover the mystery of her parents' gruesome murder. Chapter two has been reposted!
1. Chapter 1

**AN Yo! New AU story! Because the ideas, they constantly sprout. And MAYBE I just went on a week-long **_**Veronica Mars**_** and _Sherlock _****binge. **

**Please R&R xoxo**

Oberhofer - _I Could Go_

**I.**

_Sakura opened the door, her heart soaring with excitement. She'd just passed her final physical exam and was ecstatic to share the news. Her parents had been watching her train with worried eyes since the day she entered the academy, and now she could finally put their unease to rest. _

_Setting her bags by the door, she bent down to begin untying her boots. "Mom! Dad! You will never believe it! I got the second best time on the obstacle course out of everyone!"_

_Her voice ended in a whisper as she realized that she might be home alone. This was very strange considering both her parents had recently become unemployed. Sakura couldn't help the frown that tugged her lips downwards. _

_"Mom? Dad? Forgot my cellphone charger so.." She made her way inside, a bad feeling settling in her stomach. "Hello?"_

_She searched every room until she found her way to the study. The door was ajar. A blood-curdling scream tore up her throat and darkness spotted her vision._

_Later she would be told that the police had found her curled into the fetal position between her parents' lifeless bodies, screaming uncontrollably._

* * *

Sakura walked into the police department and was immediately greeted by a bright pair of smiling blue eyes. She had just left her shift, bleary-eyed and still wearing her scrubs dotted with blood, but her friend smiled happily nonetheless.

"Sakura-chan! You're literally the most amazing thing to happen in here today!"

"That's because you're still stuck on desk duty, Naruto. I need to speak to the chief inspector. Is he in?"

Naruto turned around in his seat to glance at the large office in the back of the room. "If by 'in' you mean getting dumped, then yeah, he's back there. A bit busy, though."

"_Again_? How many times has he been dumped this month?" Sakura squinted her eyes to try and see between the blinds that shielded his office, but to no avail.

"Probably three. I think he does it on purpose." Naruto shrugged.

"Maybe he prefers the company of women in written word rather than in the flesh."

Then, a beautiful woman exited the office. In a sea of olive drab and khaki, she was a vision with fiery red curls and an emerald dress. She waltzed past them without so much as a glance and blew through the double doors.

After a few moments, the two finally shook off the remaining awe left from her spell. Naruto, still a little speechless at having been in such close proximity to such a beautiful woman, pressed a shaky finger to the intercom. Sakura, who overcame the effects much more quickly, rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Hey, Chief. You have a visitor."

"_Tell her I'm busy."_

Sakura didn't wait for a response as she walked around Naruto's desk and entered the office.

He sighed heavily, exhaustion clear in the lines of his face and the dark circles under his eyes. "Have a seat, Sakura."

Doing as she was told, Sakura sat across from him and eyed him curiously. His silver hair was more unkempt than usual, falling into his charcoal eyes. He didn't bother trying to give her the weak smile he usually plastered on for her. Instead, his mouth was set in a straight, impatient line.

"That girl you brought in died." She said abruptly, crossing her arms over her chest, there was a pain shining in her eyes, grief from not saving the girl.

"I'm aware. I've already been to the morgue."

"I inspected her body."

Kakashi groaned, massaging the bridge of his nose. "Of course you did."

"I don't think the gunshot wound was self-inflicted. I went through her medical records, nothing suggests any type of psychosis."

"Well, if you inspected her body, then you would have seen the scars on the back of her right hand."

"Yes, and I also saw that her molars were damaged by stomach acid, but bulimia isn't good enough a reason. Someone did this to her. She had bruises on her wrist, and not even her right wrist. I heard she shot herself left-handed. Why would a right-handed person do that?"

"I guess that explains why her wound didn't immediately kill her." He said, bored. "Aside from that, there were no signs of struggle. She had a note, written clearly in her own handwriting."

"She was three months pregnant, Kakashi. Surely you noticed the swell of her stomach, her flushed cheeks."

His eyes widened slightly. He hadn't noticed it, but before Sakura could process his surprise, his face slipped back into an impassive mask.

"So, let me get this straight. An eighteen year old pregnant girl from the projects, who is also struggling with long-term bulimia, and has a written suicide note, didn't kill herself? That someone staged it? Is that what you're telling me? And who, pray-tell, would be capable? Those hoodlums in her neighborhood?"

Although Sakura hated being condescended to, she sucked on her teeth for a moment and took a deep, calming breath. "I had the lab take a DNA sample from the fetus. Maybe you could go through her journals or texts and find something out."

"Sakura." He hung his head and sighed. "You are not Sherlock Holmes. You can't keep interfering in our cases. I don't know why you dropped out of the academy and went to medical school, but you've already made that decision. If you want to be on the force, then go back to school, otherwise you're going to get yourself arrested one of these days."

Her eyes hardened. "Don't act like you don't know why I dropped out. When you guys fail to serve and protect and a victim ends up in my E.R., it becomes my responsibility. I just want justice."

"That's all any of us want, but your job isn't to pursue it, you got that?"

"Just tell me that you'll look into it so I can sleep tonight?"

"Fine. Now get lost. I have some paperwork to finish."

Satisfied, Sakura got up and turned to leave, but stopped when her hand touched the knob. She turned back and gave him the most normal smile she could muster after such a long day.

"Kakashi?"

"Hmm?" His eyes were still trained on the paperwork.

"Do you think maybe we could get dinner sometime?"

He paused, set his pen down and gave her contemplative look. "Like a date?"

"Yes, like a date."

"I'll text you."

"You don't have my number.." She trailed off, realizing immediately how stupid she'd sounded.

"Give me some credit, Sakura." He chuckled, although the smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You're going on a date with Kakashi? Are you _serious_? I've been asking you out for years!" Naruto cried as she made her way past him.

"You're going to get into trouble if you keep listening in like that, Naruto-kun." She smiled, pushing open the double doors and disappearing into the night.

Kakashi watched her and waited until she was completely out of sight before allowing the frustration he'd been reigning in to leak onto his features. Picking up the phone, he dialed the only number that would give him immediate access to the Konohagakure Veteran's Hospital's Chief of Medicine.

"_Tsunade speaking."_ Came a gruff voice, hoarse from years of yelling and excessive drinking.

"Explain to me how an emergency medical surgeon has lab clearance."

A beat. _"Why shouldn't my physicians have clearance to the lab?"_

"Were she for a living patient, I assume that lab access is a standard procedure, but once they've died, the responsibility falls back onto the Department. Not to mention that the patient was brought in by us. Am I to understand that she ordered a DNA testing? How does someone working in the lowest part of the hospital get privileges like that?"

"_Get your facts straight, Hatake. Shizune's the one who ordered it. I'd be more than happy to have her send over the paperwork. And unless you've forgotten, the morgue is located in _my _hospital. And if Sakura wants to intern as a lab assistant, that's hardly any of your goddamn business. Now, unless you have something tangible to bring to me, I suggest you take your complaints and shove them straight up your-"_

Kakashi hung up the phone before she had the opportunity to finish voicing that train of thought and fumed silently. He didn't enjoy being such a tightwad, but he also didn't enjoy Sakura poking her nose where it didn't belong. She was bound to get into trouble, or worse. He shuddered. The thought of his ex-student getting hurt always left a bad taste in his mouth. Maybe it was her delicate, girlish features or the touch of sadness that lingered in her eyes when she thought no one was watching.. Whatever it was, it awoke a protective side of Kakashi that he wasn't accustomed to.

He turned his attention to his computer and began searching for Sakura's phone number. She wanted to have dinner, obviously a cover for something else. He had a pretty good idea what she _really_ wanted.

* * *

Kakashi took a long gulp from his wine and tried to remember exactly how old Sakura was. He'd just surfed through Naruto's facebook (why bother getting his own when Naruto's passwords were offensively simple?) and yet he somehow forgot to commit the number to memory. He had gotten momentarily distracted by all of the pictures Naruto had of his pink-haired best friend, and how within the past few years, the pictures seemed to dwindle into nothing but a photo here or there. It wasn't surprising. Death affected everyone in different ways, Sakura chose to cut herself off from her friends.

He checked his watch for the eighteenth time and sighed audibly. Kakashi always arrived late because it made people more vulnerable, their nerves were a little more on edge, easier to crack, but Sakura had decided to be even later than himself. Well played.

"Sorry I'm late!" His head jerked up at her operatic voice, so high and loud. She was wearing a sleeveless red blouse tucked into high-waisted, fitting trousers and a pair of very high platform shoes. Not necessarily date attire. "Did you order already?" She asked, taking a seat.

"I did. Now let's get straight to the point. Why did you want to me outside of the office?" He questioned in a bored tone.

Her jade eyes slanted into a glare. "Who said I have an ulterior motive?" After he continued to stare at her impassively, her shoulders fell and she pulled out a large file, handing it to him. "I want you to help me figure out who murdered my parents."

"The man who killed your parents is behind bars." He murmured, flipping through the newspaper clippings, crime scene photos, and collection of various statements she had know business having in her possession. "Besides, I'm not a private investigator anymore."

"You used to be. You're the Chief Inspector now. You must have access to so much more information."

"Information you seem to have no problem acquiring on your own." He shook his head. "This case is closed. I'm not risking my job to aid you in some unhealthy revenge fantasy."

Sakura watched him until he lifted his gaze to meet her own. She was pouring so many emotions into those beryl orbs and Kakashi was beginning to feel suffocated under the weight of her stare.

"Please, Kakashi. I'll pay you."

"You can't afford me."

"What makes you say that?" She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

He hummed in response, letting his eyes rove over her appearance once again. A look of recognition shone in her eyes and Kakashi watched as she squared her shoulders and clenched her jaw, preparing for an onslaught.

"Well, your clothes give me enough information as is. Your pants were once black, but have faded into charcoal, probably from frequent washing, suggesting you probably don't own very many pairs of nice slacks. Your fingernails are painted, and well, but the ends are smudged, meaning you can't afford to have them professionally maintained. Your blouse is new, but there is a loose thread on the shoulder. It was a cheap deal you probably picked up in a night market. Your perfume smells expensive, but out of fashion. You know you can't afford another bottle, so you use it sparingly, as I've only smelled it three times on you before. However, I don't need to look at your clothes to know that your parents' money was tied into Uchiha Incorporated, and the moment they were fired, they lost everything. This left you in a world of debt. Factor in the four years you spent in medical school.."

"Okay okay! I get it!" She huffed angrily. "I hate when you do that. It's absolutely unnerving! And rude! And..." The fight faded quickly from her eyes and she simply sighed in defeat. "Never mind." She muttered as their food was set before them.

They continued to eat in a tense silence, Kakashi barely able to choke down his food. He felt awfully guilty, much more than necessary.

"Sakura, why do you think your parents' murderer is still out there?" He asked suddenly, causing her to jump in surprise, nearly spilling her wine.

She set her glass down and folded her hands in her lap, chewing on her bottom lip. "It just doesn't add up. They were accused of leaking information to Hyuuga International and fired for it, but my parents would never do that. The night of the murder, I didn't notice at first, but their room and study had been torn apart. The police said it was a burglar, but whoever broke in was looking for something. Nothing was missing from the house but a few back-up external hard drives and their cellphones. I think my parents found out something they shouldn't have, and were killed for it."

"Are you suggesting someone within Uchiha is responsible?" He tried to sound skeptical, but it was forced an unnatural. Kakashi quit the force for years and only recently took a position as an academy teacher before quickly being promoted to Chief Inspector after the death of the previous Chief. He hadn't worked on the Haruno case, with good reason. Kakashi had the tendency to ask too many questions. One would think that being curious and inquisitive were good traits to have in a detective.

"I mean, I'm not _suggesting _anything. I just-"

"I'll do it." He interrupted.

Her eyes grew round. "You mean it? How much? You're right, i don't have a lot, but I can get another job, I need to anyway."

"Pro bono. But, under some conditions."

"Anything." She breathed.

"You will tell no one. Should anyone ask, you and I are dating, god help me, and that is why we are spending time together. Also, you will follow my lead completely. The moment you step out of line, I'm out and you're on your own. And if I say it's over, it's over. Are we understood?"

Sakura nodded enthusiastically, clearly trying her hardest not to jump out of her seat and throw her arms around his neck in gratitude.

He wiped his mouth with the napkin and dropped it onto his empty plate. "I'm going to get a head start on this now. I'll call you."

Kakashi gather the file and slipped it into his briefcase before walking towards the door. It took Sakura another ten seconds to realize that he didn't pay the bill.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN Thanks to Pixychick84, love-warmth-life, ForsakenKalika, and Janice for reviewing the first chapter! It means a lot and I really really appreciate feedback. The song I chose for this chapter is about losing someone you love. Next up, Sakura's POV! Thanks again! **

**Please R&R xoxo**

The Electric Soft Parade - _Brother, You Must Walk Your Path Alone_

**II.**

He was following her. Deep down, Kakashi knew that he had no business tailing Sakura like a criminal, but after reviewing her file he became curious. She was making more many than was accounted for. Her apartment building, though still in a bad side if town, had an elevator and security guard. It was impossible for her to make loan payments, pay for her rent, and still manage to eat on her meager salary. He'd asked Naruto, but apparently the two didn't spend a whole lot of time together, because Naruto didn't have a clue. It was possible that she was receiving help, but Sakura hardly seemed the type to lean on the support of others, at least not anymore.

Sakura was, for lack of a better explanation, completely alone in the world. She had coworkers, mentors, people she occasionally spent time with so as not to raise suspicion that she may be a robot or alien, but after watching her for a few days, Kakashi knew it was all an act. Her smiles, her brazen confidence, her sweet tinkling laugh were all a part of a carefully constructed lie. He hadn't managed to get ahold of her medical records, but he could bet they would tell him that she was prescribed a high dosage of antidepressants or anxiety medication.

Sakura had just gotten into her car after a ten hour shift at the hospital and Kakashi watched as her false happiness slowly melted away to reveal a face as calm and placid as a still lake, eyes burning tragically with despair.

He waited, assuming that any minute she would start the car and head home, but she surprised him. Instead, she started to apply makeup, the charcoal liner and fire engine red lipstick transforming her from a sweet girl next door into a sultry, irresistible young woman.

_Where on earth could she be going? It's already ten o'clock at night. _

Then, slowly, she pulled off her shirt over her head and shimmied into a form fitting black dress. Her head momentarily disappeared as she probably slipped out of her pants and into something else, tights maybe.

_Is wherever she's going the source of her extra income?_ A bad feeling settled in his stomach as he thought up the possibilities of where she would be working looking like that.

He followed her car to the entertainment district and waited outside the parking garage she disappeared into. When she finally emerged from the only exit, her appearance knocked the breath from his lungs. She looked ravishing. Her tone legs were covered by a pair of shiny black tights, but they caught the light in such a way that Kakashi could see how shapely they were. Her dress was short, but she had the decency to wear a thick, black coat to cover herself. This was a relatively safe area, but Kakashi lamented to admit that there were few places that a woman could feel even remotely safe in the city.

Sakura crossed the street into an alleyway. Kakashi waited a moment before trailing her footsteps into what looked like an empty side street. He came upon a door, the neon sign rearing OPEN. A quick look around told him that there was no other place she could have gone. Steeling himself, he took a deep breath and pushed through the and into... A restaurant?

Beautiful girls hurried to and fro carrying trays of appetizers and buckets of iced champagne. Of the many round, comfortable-looking booths, most were filled with men, a beautiful girl smiling brightly and pouring champagne at every table.

It was a host club. Technically these places were illegal, but also very expensive and exclusive. Unless he actually saw someone paying for sex, he had no intention of bringing the hammer down. In his line of work, sketchy or illegal establishments were good to have around. They sat on a wealth of information.

"Hello, sir. Do you have a reservation?" He glanced down to see a pretty blonde smiling sweetly.

"No ma'am, I do not. I was wondering if I could be seated with Sakura this evening?"

She gave him a puzzled look. "Who?"

"Pink hair."

"Oh, of course. We know her as Midori. Well, she's with a group right now, but it's policy to only reserve an hour at a time and no one else has asked for her tonight. Want me to put you down for the next hour?"

"That would be lovely."

"Perfect! Okay, you can wait at the bar and I'll show you to your table when she is finished. You need a deposit of one hundred dollars."

Kakashi grimaced and pulled out the money, a pained expression marring his face. The blonde showed him to the bar and explained that the deposit was just a formality and would go towards his final check. Apparently being a new customer meant open bar while he waited, a clever way to get him drunk enough to keep spending money.

He sipped the top shelf scotch the bartender poured him and scanned the crowds for a head full of pink hair. With the low lighting and constant distraction of the live jazz music and beautiful women shuffling around, locating Sakura was harder than he had anticipated.

Finally, his eyes landed on her, immediately widening in shock at her choice of company. Itachi, Deidara, Kisame, and Sasori. If Uchiha Fugaku was the head of Uchiha Inc, then his oldest son was the seedy under belly, and the sole reason why the Uchiha remained unrivaled. He was smart as a whip, cold and calculating and very skilled at manipulating those around him. The other three were just his cronies.

As Kakashi watched Sakura interact with the men, he couldn't decide which one was in control of the situation. The obvious choice would be Itachi, but Kakashi had personally seen Sakura's interrogation skills. The way she smiled and laughed almost looked genuine, forcing Kakashi to wonder if maybe she wasn't faking. They'd grown up together and she had once dated the younger Uchiha, so obviously they were close at some point in time.

Sakura leaned in to tell them something as she refilled their champagne glasses. The three henchmen threw their heads back in a raucous laugh, while Itachi smiled fondly at his fair-haired companion. He actually smiled. Kakashi almost coughed up his scotch in shock. Uchiha Itachi definitely had feelings for Sakura, and she was using it against him. How much of that information she'd given Kakashi came from Itachi? How was she getting it? Was she sleeping with him?

The way they interacted suggested that they hadn't. His cold eyes would often reveal a longing of someone who hadn't had the pleasure of spending the night with the one he was after. Plus, she touched him with familiarity seen often amongst friends.

Finishing his drink, Kakashi noticed the blonde from before was ushering him to a small booth in the corner. He turned around and peeked over the seat to see Sakura bid each man farewell with a kiss on the cheek. When it came to be Itachi's turn, his hand caressed the curve of her hip for a fraction of a second. Kakashi felt his blood run a degree warmer at the sight, setting his temper to a simmer just beneath the skin.

"You know, I had a feeling someone was stalking me. I'm not sure if I should be thankful or furious that it's you." Sakura stated, setting a bucket of ice and two glasses on the table. "Champagne?"

He nodded, feeling a little guilty that she was doing this for him, even if it was her job. "Should you mix antidepressants with alcohol?"

"You went through my medical records?" She demanded through clenched teeth, her mouth still pulled into a smile.

"No," he took the glass from her, "but you just answered my question."

Sakura took a seat next him, leaving a foot of room between them, and sipped her champagne. "Why are you here, Kakashi?" She asked tiredly.

"I am investigating something for you, and I don't enjoy when a client fails to be completely honest about her situation. Were you planning on telling me that you work here, or that you're fucking yet another Uchiha?"

Her hand grasped the stem of her glass so hard that her knuckles were turning white and Kakashi was certain that the crystal would soon shatter in her hand. "First of all, I am not fucking anyone. And why would I bother telling you everything when you'll just find it all out for yourself?"

"I guess if a busy detective decided to handle my case pro bono out of the kindness of his heart, then I would save him as much time and money as I could so as to make his job a little easier, but that's just me." He shrugged, finishing his glass so that she could pour him another.

"Well, you certainly aren't saving yourself any money by following me here. I feel bad for your wallet. But since you requested me personally and on your first visit, I get a pretty nice bonus. So, thank you, Kakashi."

He scowled before letting his face fall into a look of detached professionalism and closed the space between them to talk. "Would you consider this to be a safe place to have a discussion?"

Sakura's jade eyes, now as dark as evergreens in the low lighting, looked around quickly. She bit her lip in thought and Kakashi felt that tinge of desire creep into his mind. "I mean, the place is full of gangsters and businessmen, so you tell me."

"As I suspected." He sighed, placing an arm around Sakura's shoulders as naturally as possible, and pulling her against him. His mouth dipped low, closer to her ear. "I was going through the Uchiha's bank records. Which, by the way, were incredibly difficult to get my hands on. I noticed that there are two transactions unaccounted for. One of nearly 500,000 dollars just before your parents' death. It was deposited into an offshore account under the name Ishikawa Katsuya. Does that name ring any bells?"

She shivered but remained calm, trying to smile in case anyone was watching them. "No, should it?"

"I have reason to believe that it was hush money given either to your parents or someone who worked closely with them."

"What about the other transaction?"

"Another withdrawal of equal value. In cash. It would appear that the money seemingly disappeared, but I did some digging on the convicted robber. He's married and has three children, but also has a dilapidating heroin addiction. His wife is paying off a lot of medical expenses, lawyer fees, et cetera on a teacher's salary. Each month she deposits a thousand dollars more than she makes."

"A pay off."

He hummed in agreement. "Also, there was no sign of forced entry at the crime scene, yet it was clear that your parents didn't know the man and knew immediately what he was after. Someone had to have given him the security codes to your home."

"You want a list of all our friends, family, and my parents' coworkers." She said easily, as though it might take an hour tops to do that.

"Yes. I think someone betrayed your parents. We also need to find out what exactly your parents were developing in that lab. I have already tried everything within my power, but I can't get anything. You need to find a hacker who will either uncover that information or get you into the building."

Someone must have walked by because Sakura's hand squeezed his thigh playfully and she let out a brilliant laugh. "I already know the perfect candidate. And why me? I'm the most conspicuous person I know."

"You are young and knowledgeable enough to pass for an assistant or maybe an intern. You'll figure something out." His voice came out a bit strained as Sakura's fingers began tracing small figure eights on his inner thigh. He hadn't quite noticed their proximity until that moment and a flood of sensation washed over him. Sakura smelled like vanilla and jasmine, a sensual combination that caused his heart to beat a little faster. She was practically in his lap, and her hand was getting dangerously close to what was soon to be an erection if he couldn't keep himself under control. The smooth skin of her neck was mere centimeters from his mouth..

Sakura cleared her throat, obviously realizing the change in atmosphere. Snapping into attention, Kakashi pulled away and morphed his expression into one of boredom, ignoring the way her cheeks flushed and her pupils dilated.

"I think it's best for your wallet if we meet somewhere else. I work all day tomorrow, but the day after I'm off. If anything changes, call me, okay? I'll let you know about the hacker after I talk to him." Sakura stood up, Kakashi following suit, and kissed him on the cheek, her lips parted just enough that he could feel the faintest touch of her tongue. "Thank you, come again!"

He nodded and went to pay the bill, nearly weeping when it read four hundred dollars.

* * *

Sakura groaned around the dumplings she'd just stuffed into her mouth. Three hours of sleep and four coffees later and she still wasn't entirely awake. She had already completed two emergency surgeries during her first shift, but the day was already wearing on her. It had been a pleasant surprise when she found someone had food delivered to her, but after checking her bank statement, she knew immediately that it must have been Kakashi, because he was the only person who could possibly have access to her credit card information.

Her phone vibrated loudly in her pocket and she pulled it out to see two missed calls from Ino, her best friend and possibly only friend who put up with her long periods of absence, and two text messages.

The first was from Uchiha Itachi reading: _Will you be at the club tonight? I know you work hard and I believe that calling in sick would be ideal._

Sakura stared at the message in bemusement. He came every night last week, why was he suddenly worried about her well being? She replied, saying that someone would fill in for her because she needed the sleep.

The next was Kakashi. Her heart skipped a beat very much against her will. His text simply said _Call me._

She quickly dialed his number with an excitement she wasn't proud of and nearly smiled when he answered.

"_Hello?_" he murmured into the phone, just barely audible.

"Why are you whispering?"

"_I'm at a crime scene._"

Her mind immediately went to work, wondering who was on staff and if they were prepared to deal with the police. "Anything I should worry about?"

"_Nah. It's just a domestic. I'm not really sure why I'm here. Did you enjoy the lunch you bought yourself?"_

"Oh very much so. Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

"_I try. Listen, I would like to accompany you to meet this hacker you seem to know so well._" His voice grew louder and she heard a car start in the background. _He must be alone now._

"Why? Want to offer him a job?"

"_Something like that._"

"You wouldn't be the first. I think he's been approached by more than one government agency. I'm going after work."

"_I'll pick you up when you get off._"

She started to argue that he had no clue when her shift was over, but the call was ended. Just as well, he probably already knew anyway.

...

Sakura huffed for the billionth time since she got into what Kakashi called a nondescript vehicle suitable for their needs, i.e. piece of shit. The car itself was terribly ordinary, but that wasn't the problem. Apparently Kakashi filled out the paperwork at the impound without reading it, which landed the two of them in a car with a broken heater.

"Maybe if you huff and puff a few more times you can raise your body temperature." Kakashi offered, breaking the tense silence that had fallen over them. "So does your friend actually live out here?"

Sakura scanned the dark countryside that surrounded them for miles in every direction. They were way off the grid. "Live is a pretty strong way to put it. I highly doubt he'll be at this location much longer."

"And how do you know him?"

"We went to high school together and didn't hate each other. One time, he hacked the school's security system and locked everyone out of the campus for three days just so they would have to cancel the sports festival."

"So you're saying that he works really hard to be lazy."

"A wise man once said: I would work all day if it meant nothing got done." She grinned sleepily.

"I believe we have arrived."

They pulled into a small dirt driveway leading up to a huge precarious structure Sakura suspected was once a barn. Pulling her coat a little closer, Sakura led the way, following her instructions to walk around to the back of the building. Kakashi found the door before her, his eyes obviously keener than her own in the darkness. She pushed it open and called inside. "Shikamaru? You here?"

"Just walk straight in. It's a projection." His tired voice answered in monotone.

Sakura was confused. She couldn't see a foot in front of her, but apparently Kakashi understood because he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the wall of shadows. Her skin prickled with electricity and she suddenly found herself in a control room. Complete and utter awe painted her face into what she knew was a stupefied expression, but as she opened her mouth to ask what she had just experienced, a young man fingering a cigarette cut her off.

_Shikamaru_. He was just as handsome as she remembered. Silhouetted by the glowing light of a dozen monitors, he looked ethereal and untouchable.

"Don't ask. It's above your comprehension. Who's the narc?" Shikamaru asked, using his cigarette to point at Kakashi.

"Didn't you get my message?"

He turned around to face the pair completely, wearing a bored look. "Surely you must know that I don't sit around, waiting with bated breath for your texts."

Sakura curled her lip in distain. When had he become so snarky? "He's my boyfriend."

"Yeah, okay," he snorted. "I'll just pretend to believe that. What exactly do you want?"

"We need to know if you can hack Uchiha's server and recover files regarding the research conducted by Sakura's parents." Kakashi stated, clearly not enjoying being in the backseat of their conversation.

"Obviously I can do that. I am the one who created their security software. However, because I am, I legally can't help you do this. But, I might have a couple of solutions."

Sakura and Kakashi stared at him, waiting, until Sakura huffed. "Which are?"

Shikamaru stuffed the butt of his cigarette out into an overflowing ashtray, then lit another. His motions were lazy and unbothered, and driving Sakura mad. "Well, I could create a virus, then they will call me in to fix it. However, the virus will, unbeknownst to them, only affect a portion of the computers, leaving the rest uncorrupted. Sakura, you can use that time to access one of the lab computers and get what you want. Actually, now that I've said that aloud I realize that option one is probably your best bet. There is only one problem."

A growing sense of foreboding crept over Sakura and she dreaded to even ask. "What kind of problem?"

"You need to be the one to introduce the virus. It has to be done on sight. Also, you'll need to get top security clearance."

"Isn't there just a back door I can use?" Sakura questioned, immediately earning her a matching look of disbelief from the two men.

"Sorry. I wish I could help more, but I can't. If you could manage to steal an employee's phone, I can figure out the pass-codes, but they aren't guaranteed to work in every part of the building."

Kakashi gave her a knowing look. "Unless you get your hands on a very important person's phone."

Oh. _Oh_. "I'll figure that part out. How long will it take you to finish the virus?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "About a week."

"Okay. I'll call you when I get my half finished." Sakura gave him a weary smile, and he returned one that was possibly more exhausted.

"Before we go, here." Kakashi pulled out his card and handed it to Shikamaru. "If you know Sakura, then you probably know her idiot friends who work for me. We could use someone like you."

...

The drive back was excruciating. It was easily negative ten degrees and the only radio station that came in played traditional opera. Sakura was just about to lose her mind with boredom when Kakashi's phone began to ring loudly.

"Hatake here. What?" his voice had a frantic tone to it and Sakura seized with anxiety. "I'll be there as fast as I can. No. If I get there and you've let a single reporter in, you're fired." He hung up and rummaged around in his bag before retrieving a police light and fastening it onto the roof.

"Kakashi, what's going on?"

He glanced her way, but didn't meet her gaze. "The club, the one where you work, apparently someone came in wearing a bomb and blew the building up."


End file.
